How Animal Crossing Saved my Life
While this topic is not the main focus of what I will be talking about today, I do want you all to practice self care when listening to this content, as I know that we all come into the space with our own experiences, but I will go ahead and stop here to let my husband take over and help guide me in having this conversation. So this is going to be a new format that I'm trying out on my channel
Dylan Huard
@Dylan · 0:18
Hi, honey. Thank you for having me on your swellcast. After hearing you record so many of these, I'm really excited to finally be a part of it. To help you start telling your story, I will ask you what challenge were you overcoming in your life? Live at the time that Animal Crossing was released in March 2020
There's a lot. I mean, the one that many others were experiencing is the shutdown of Indiana University as well as the shutdown nationally, which was really scary and confusing for everyone. Personally, I was also of dealing with a sexual assault conduct case at my University where my story and my trauma related to those experience was being poked and prodded by strangers. It sucked
Dylan Huard
@Dylan · 0:18
I know that this was all very difficult for you at this time in your life. I was actually not there, which is surprising because we are married now, but we will get into that later. How did I having all crossing help you with all these challenge
I really got to use Animal Crafting as a creative outlet, which was really beautiful and powerful to me as I am a relatively creative person, and it was much, much needed with everything that was going on. It also gave me a community. I joined so many Animal Crossing Facebook groups, and I met some really amazing friends who I continue to remain in contact with virtually. I have two people in particular who are very near and dear to my heart. One woman is a dear friend of mine
Dylan Huard
@Dylan · 0:15
I am so happy that I met you. We met when I posted something on the Animal Crossing Facebook group asking to trade for some materials. Something I was looking for was bamboo. Which is why you messaged me. I will let you tell the rest
Yeah. So I saw your post and was pretty new to this Facebook group at the time and thought, Why not? I have a bunch of extra bamboo shoots. I'll reach out. Then you responded and we couldn't decide what you're going to give me in return for these darn bamboo shoots. And in my head I was like, Jeez, this guy really cannot make up his mind. And I was low key, really annoyed
Dylan Huard
@Dylan · 0:15
After this, we just couldn't stop talking. I couldn't stop smiling. When we talked. We just talked all the time. And I loved it. Then even though I live in Quebec, and you in the US, I visited edu
Yeah, and you've never been out of the country before. And English is also your second language. And yet somehow you were crazy enough to get a passport and come visit me during a global pandemic. Of course, we both both took the proper precautions by quarantining and socially distancing and getting tested. But while you visited me, we just fell in love and decided to get married. It was honestly very crazy, and a lot of people really questioned us in our decision to get married
Dylan Huard
@Dylan · 0:06
Our family and friends thought it was crazy too, and they didn't expect it. But I wouldn't change a thing
Or what have you and I developed really meaningful, lasting relationships with people? And so to hear that you two met and fell in love because of your love for Animal Crossing is just the greatest story for me. And I wish that there was some way, like, I want to get this to Animal Crossing to Nintendo somehow, because it needs to be seen and heard by people. I just think it's fantastic. Thank you for sharing, sharing